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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom — go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

If someone is approaching you with a knife, when should you draw your firearm?

The 21 foot rule is a result of testing this question on a controlled range in ideal circumstances, with officers who were carrying on a easily accessed duty belt. If you are carrying concealed, you need to understand it is going to take you longer to draw than 21 feet. You also need to be aware that the first bullet you fire is probably not going to stop the threat immediately.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

A Utah concealed carry holder stopped a knife wielding maniac at a busy downtown Salt Lake City Smiths store, without firing a shot.

The individual allegedly went in to the Smiths Market place in a very busy area, purchased a knife and then went into the parking lot and began stabbing people seemingly at random. Two people were injured before the CCW holder saw what was happening and drew his firearm on the man and demanded that he lay on the ground.

The man was subdued until police arrived to arrest him. SLC Police noted that many more people could have been harmed or killed had the CCW holder not been there. The CCW holder did the absolute right thing and saved lives and due to Utah's stand your ground laws, the CCW holder cannot be prosecuted for not retreating from a conflict.

Friday, March 9, 2012

The Colorado Supreme court recently ruled in favor of three pro-gun, former student who have been fighting anti-concealed carry enforcement at the University of Colorado. There is no legislation currently prohibiting concealed carry for individual legally certified to carry at the campus, so the high court ruled unanimously that gun ban was illegal. The Colorado Concealed Carry Act prohibits local governments from restricting concealed carry rights. Colorado law does however restrict firearms from K-12 schools, places where federal law bans the practice, public buildings with metal detectors and private property where owners do not want concealed weapons.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

I have been thinking about writing about this for awhile, but have been concerned about this being taken the wrong way. So here is my disclosure: I am not trying to attack police officers in any way, they have a tough job, and I respect and appreciate that. This is not a criticism of police, this is a criticism of policy.

That being said, I believe that serving warrants in the way they are currently being served is not only extremely dangerous, as we have recently seen, but also a violation of the fourth amendment, as they are unreasonable. Yes, I know a warrant is issued by judge before a search is conducted. But in this case, we are using the term "search" rather loosely. Breaking into a person's house, violently, with a squad of guns pointed at anyone in that house, and claiming that yelling "police" as your busting down the door is adequate notice, is ridiculous. I understand the need to seize evidence or what not, but there are many ways in which the same results could be attained with a much lower danger to officers or the people inside the house. What if they have the wrong guy? If I am sitting in my living room and someone breaks down my door, tosses flash bangs in, and storms my house, you better believe that first thing I am grabbing is my gun. My response would not be unlike this former Marine Combat Veteran:

The swat team fired 71 rounds, Mr. Guerena was shot 22 time, and denied medical attention for about an hour, while his wife pleaded for someone to give him aid.

There were no drugs or paraphernalia found on the premises, nor in his system

There has been no arrests in this supposed "investigation."

While the swat team did announce their presence, Mrs. Guerena said she had no idea the people invading her house were police. (I certainly could not hear someone outside my home shouting).

Even had he been involved in drug trafficing, which there is no evidence he was, why couldn't they grab him as he was going to work, why is it necessary to raid his house?

Here is a video captured by a helmet cam.

I just don't see how this kind of a raid can be justified. This is not a search, not in any sense of the word. This kind of activity is a perversion of the fourth amendment. Not to mention the refusal to offer aid is despicable. I served in Afghanistan, and every man knows that you have to triage enemy combatants the same as you triage your friends. Which means that a Marine in Afghanistan must treat a Taliban fighter before he treats his friend, if that Taliban fighter is hurt more seriously. Jose Guerena was a damn American Citizen!

From the other perspective:

As a former Infantry Marine, I know that their is nothing more dangerous than raiding a house like this. It is very easy to defend for a bad guy, yet as the person conducting the raid, you are blind, you have a choke point, (which means that you are bunched up), and the bad guy knows exactly where you're coming in at.

So why are we authorizing these types of raids? Recently several police officers were shot in Ogden, UT while serving a drug warrant for someone growing 16 marijuana plants. Five were wounded and one officer was killed. Again, why is a raid like this necessary. It is not worth the life of these officers. They could have grabbed him at work or when he left his house.

The man who was in the house was sleeping at the time, and said he did not hear the officers announce themselves.

Conclusion
Now, I am sure many will disagree with me, but I just don't understand how these types of activities are justified. I believe it is an overreach by government, and a serious danger to personal liberty in this country.

In my opinion, this is a very good thing. What is disappointing is that our society is in such as state as to make this bill necessary.

If you are breaking into someones home in order to rob that home, guess what? This is Utah and there are quite a few people who own guns, therefore you run a good chance of being shot. Being shot is an occupational hazard that goes along with burglary. Call workers comp.

SALT LAKE CITY -- A person who shoots or otherwise injures an intruder cannot be sued under a bill that has passed the Utah Legislature.
Republican Rep. Patrick Painter of Nephi says House Bill 129 protects homeowners who defend themselves, their family or their property from being held civilly liable even if the intruder was not committing a felony or is subsequently found innocent.
Painter says a person should be allowed to defend their home without having to determine what type of crime an intruder is committing.
The bill is awaiting the signature of Gov. Gary Herbert after the House unanimously agreed to amendments made by the Senate.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

After the purchase of Ruger’s relatively new LC9 compact pistol several months ago, I am pleased to say it is the only gun I’ve actually been completely comfortable with while carrying. Due to its compact size, multiple safety features, light weight build and efficiently powerful 9MM round, the LC9 dominates in the compact pistol category. The LC9 is Ruger’s “bigger brother” model of the LCP compact, which has the smaller, less powerful .380 caliber round. The only complaint with the LC9 is that it has a heavier trigger pull which makes the accuracy slightly less when compared with other softer trigger pull firearms. With practice however that complaint can be resolved. The LC9 is extremely comfortable to carry for men or women and with multiple safety items such as a chambered bullet indicator, side safety trigger lock and the no magazine trigger lock features, it is highly recommended as a first time concealed carry firearm. It is offered in the colors of solid black or two-tone pink and black for the ladies.